A federal judge has dismissed a civil rights lawsuit filed by the parents of an environmental activist who was killed while protesting the construction of an Atlanta-area police and firefighter training center that critics dubbed “Cop City.”.

Atlanta rapper Silentó has pleaded guilty but mentally ill Wednesday to voluntary manslaughter and other charges in the 2021 shooting death of his 34-year-old cousin.

Some Georgia lawmakers are trying to get rid of automated cameras that enforce school zone speed limits, saying the cameras are more about making money than the safety of children.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has temporarily suspended billions in contract cuts after an uproar that critical veterans health services were harmed, lawmakers and veterans service organizations said Wednesday.

Flooded cornfields near the Tennessee River in northern Alabama are a paradise for birders who flock to see tens of thousands of migrating sandhill cranes every winter.

In yet another reversal, votes in Georgia for presidential candidates Cornel West and Claudia De la Cruz will count for now.

Juan Carlos Ramirez Bibiano, an inmate at Telfair State Prison in Georgia, died of heart and lung failure after officers left him in an outdoor cell in the summer heat for five hours without water or ice, despite instructions from a warden to limit the amount of time inmates spend outdoors, a lawsuit filed by his family says.

An accounting investigation is under way at Archer Daniels Midland and the top financial executive at the agribusiness giant has been placed on administrative leave.

Amid bans on teaching controversial topics related to race, Black families have embraced schools that affirm their African American heritage.

Rescuers raced Saturday to search for survivors and help hundreds of people left homeless after a powerful tornado cut a devastating path through Mississippi, killing at least 25 people and injuring dozens.

A slain protester's family says an environmental activist in Georgia was sitting cross-legged with their hands in the air when they were fatally shot by a state trooper.

Hip Hop rapper Da Brat excited fans Tuesday after announcing that she is expecting a baby and sat down with People magazine to describe her pregnancy journey.

A suspect wanted in connection with a fatal shooting at the Mall of America in December was arrested in Georgia on Tuesday.

Equipment manufacturer John Deere and the American Farm Bureau Federation have signed an agreement that ensures farmers and ranchers have the right to repair their own farm equipment.

Black church leaders in Georgia have organized rallies in a push to get their congregants to vote — part of a longstanding tradition known as “souls to the polls.”.

A man being booked into an Alabama jail wound up at a hospital rather than behind bars after a scan revealed a shotgun shell in his abdomen.

The world’s leading COVID-19 vaccines may offer lasting protection that diminishes the need for frequent booster shots.

The government is providing $7.4 billion to expand the nation’s public health capacity.

Children ages 12 and older can now get COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S., offering parents and schools a chance to relax their pandemic precautions.

The shootings in Georgia and other recent attacks on Asian Americans have exposed division between different generations of the community.

One emergency medicine doctor said initial reopening plans for the district's 5,000-plus students weren’t safe enough. “And that’s what I, and I’m sure other superintendents, have been struggling with.”Each side argued data and science supported their view in a debate over reopening schools that sometimes veered into vitriol. Without specific reopening instructions from federal and state leaders, school administrators have had to become amateur epidemiologists, Dude said. Around Decatur, neighbors dodged the issue in polite conversation as tensions rose during school board meetings and on social media. She didn't feel the district's reopening plans were safe or equitable, particularly for the most vulnerable students, but the increasing incivility troubled her, too.

We're into the second round of the classes 4A and under playoffs march to State. For the second straight week, the big schools (6A and 5A) take a back seat to the quick looks until their respective playoffs start as we peak at the three matchups in 4A featuring DFW-area teams on Thursday. Bo is gone, but CJ Rogers is just as competent and Tito Byce and company return for a run at state. Gilmer is on a six-game win streak with an average win margin of 32 points. Godley has been equally-impressive in its four-game win streak with a win margin of 32.5 points.

2A - Crawford (33-3, 14-0, 91.2% win percentage)Crawford won the 2A 2019 UIL Volleyball State title after a clean sweep over Jewett Leon (25-19, 25-20, 25-20). Crawford posted an undefeated district record of 14-0 with an overall record of 33-3. The Pirates are looking ahead towards what could be their second straight state title. In 2019, the Wildcats lost to Lamar Fulshear (25-14, 25-11, 25-20) who went on to claim the state title. After defeating Canyon Randall (27-25, 25-17, 25-15) in the 2019 state championship game, Lucas Lovejoy is looking like they are seriously strong contenders for the 2020 state title.

It's that time of year when volleyball playoffs are in full swing, football playoffs are about to get underway and the boys and girls hoops' seasons are set to tip off. This week, we'll provide the Top 10 Preseason Power Rankings for class 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and private schools. BOYSRANK TEAM 2019-20 RECORD* FINISH 1 Argyle 26-4 State Semifinals** 2 Oak Cliff Faith Family 24-13 State Semifinals** 3 Dallas Carter 29-8 Regional Semifinals 4 Decatur 27-9 Regional Quarterfinals 5 Dallas Lincoln 15-15 Regional Quarterfinals 6 Fort Worth Dunbar 9-10 Area 7 Celina 27-7 Regional Quarterfinals 8 Alvarado 29-7 Bi-District 9 Krum 22-15 Regional Quarterfinals 10 Kennedale 26-10 Area*based on MaxPreps.com | **2020 playoffs did not finish because of COVID-19GIRLSRANK TEAM 2019-20 RECORD* FINISH 1 Argyle 31-9 State Finalist 2 Dallas Lincoln 28-11 State Semifinals 3 Melissa 21-11 Regional Finals 4 Sunnyvale 28-7 Regional Quarterfinals 5 Dallas Pinkston 27-7 Regional Quarterfinals 6 Decatur 24-13 Regional Quarterfinals 7 Krum 20-14 Bi-District 8 Aubrey 21-7 Regional Quarterfinals 9 Midlothian Heritage 20-9 Bi-District 10 Sanger 23-10 Bi-District*based on MaxPreps.com

Three rounds down in the UIL high school volleyball playoffs, and only one team in the DFW area remains: Decatur, which just so happens to ranked No. But after fending off a pesky challenger in the regional quarterfinals against Argyle - the third sweep this season against the long-time rivals - Decatur goes up against No. Decatur is looking to advance and get to the state tournament since winning it all back in 2018. In a bit of irony, Decatur's head coach, Catherine Foerster, just so happened to coach Hereford to state last year. Decatur and Hereford square off at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night in Childress.

A camping trailer by a neighboring camp has been damaged by Hurricane Zeta in Grand Isle, La., Friday, Oct. 30, 2020. It hit hard on Grand Isle, a popular waterside getaway and recreational fishing destination. “That thing just souped up and kicked all of our butts, especially the levee,” said Lan Tivet, a member of the Grand Isle town council. It's been an especially active season in Louisiana, hit so far by two tropical storms and three hurricanes, including Laura, which devastated southwestern Louisiana in August. “We're so close to the end of hurricane season that we can't jeopardize — just start a project sooner — it's not an option," she said.

DECATUR, Tenn. – Federal and state authorities on Wednesday investigated a crash between a school bus carrying 24 children and a utility vehicle that killed the bus driver and a 7-year-old girl in eastern Tennessee. Eight other children were injured when the utility vehicle and the bus collided on state Highway 58 in Meigs County on Tuesday afternoon, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said in a preliminary report. The bus driver, Lisa Dillard, 53, was killed, the highway patrol said. The girl who was killed was not immediately identified by the highway patrol. Meigs County Schools said several students were treated and released at hospitals.

The entrance to Efficiency Lodge is shown on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020 in Decatur, Ga. Some of the residents, along with members of the Atlanta-area Housing Justice League, staged a protest across the street from the Efficiency Lodge, alleging that residents are being evicted despite substandard living conditions. About two dozen former residents of the Efficiency Lodge in DeKalb County and others demonstrated Wednesday across from the suburban Atlanta complex. A man who answered the phone at another number for Efficiency Lodge hung up. Efficiency Lodge has more than a dozen properties in Georgia and Florida and offers “cost-efficient accommodations," according to its website.

It's been three years since these two foes have faced off with Argyle dominating Decatur 62-21 back when both schools were in 4-4A DI. Previewing DecaturThe Eagles of Decatur roll into the season opener with a lot of question marks on offense after losing its nine main contributors from a season ago. Decatur racked up more than 6,418 yards on offense on the way to a 12-1 finish and getting into the third round of the playoffs. But it's hard to overstate the level of skill returning to Argyle against the level for Decatur - a known quantity vs. uncertainty. That can be seen here: https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/dfwvarsity/pr...My picks for Week 1 are bolded below:Bushland vs BrockBenbrook vs China SpringMcGregor vs Lake WorthSpringtown vs Glen RoseWichita Falls Hirschi vs Midlothian HeritageDecatur vs ArgyleWaxahachie Life vs GodleyGraham vs AlvaradoBurkburnett vs AubreyPeaster vs Venus

AUSTIN, Texas The University Interscholastic League (UIL) has released standings for the Lone Star Cup through March 13, 2020. Due to the cancellation of UIL spring events, the Lone Star Cup will not be awarded for the 2019-20 school year. As a result, many activities that earn points toward the UIL Lone Star Cup were not completed. The UIL Lone Star Cup recognizes the top high school in each UIL conference based on overall team achievement in sanctioned academic, athletic and music championships. Below are the Top 25 UIL Lone Star Cup standings for the 2019-20 school year.

AUSTIN, Texas The University Interscholastic League (UIL) has released standings for the Lone Star Cup through March 13, 2020. Due to the cancellation of UIL spring events, the Lone Star Cup will not be awarded for the 2019-20 school year. As a result, many activities that earn points toward the UIL Lone Star Cup were not completed. The UIL Lone Star Cup recognizes the top high school in each UIL conference based on overall team achievement in sanctioned academic, athletic and music championships. Below are the Top 25 UIL Lone Star Cup standings for the 2019-20 school year.

Workers remove a Confederate monument with a crane Thursday, June 18, 2020, in Decatur, Ga. The 30-foot obelisk in Decatur Square, erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1908, was ordered by a judge to be removed and placed into storage indefinitely. The stone obelisk was lifted from its base with straps amid jeers and chants of Just drop it! from onlookers in Decatur, Georgia, who were kept a safe distance by sheriffs deputies. DeKalb County Judge Clarence Seeliger agreed, and ordered the 30-foot (9-meter) obelisk in Decatur Square to be removed by midnight June 26 and placed in storage indefinitely. DeKalb County spent several years trying to rid itself of the Lost Cause monument erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1908.